Athletics - Injured Sebrle pulls out of decathlon

Photo

Reuters

(L to R) Liberia's Jangy Addy, Cuba's Leonel Suarez and Czech Republic's Roman Sebrle run in the men's decathlon 100m heat during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 8, 2012. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Aug. 8

LONDON (Reuters) - Former world record holder Roman Sebrle pulled out of the Olympic decathlon after the first event on Wednesday with an injury to his right heel.

The 37-year-old Czech, Olympic champion in 2004, was the slowest of all the decathletes in the 100 metres heat in 11.54 seconds.

"The 100 metres was OK with the pain but not with the time," Sebrle told reporters. "For the long jump, I couldn't run."

His time was over a second slower than American title favourite Ashton Eaton (10.35), who broke Sebrle's world record in June.

(Reporting by Alison Wildey; Editing by Mark Meadows; For all the latest; Olympic news go to http://www.reuters.com/london-olympics-2012)

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